Introduction to Theology Guide
The Gutenberg Bible, ca. 1455, on display at the New York Public Library, Rare Books Division.
Welcome! This guide is tailored for students of REL 600: Introduction to Theology taught by Professor Willie Jennings. It's a research aid to assist participants with their theological reading and writing assignments.
Here you'll find:
- Reference Works
- Subject overviews
- Biblical commentaries
- Atla scripture search video tutorial
Please contact the Yale Divinity Library with questions, we're happy to partner in your research journey.
Course Readings – Required
-
Elements of Christian Thought by In the spring of 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted classrooms around the world, teachers scrambled to convert their lectures and presentations into a format more conducive to online and distance learning. For Eugene Rogers, this meant transcribing as closely as possible the spoken lectures that have made his Introduction to Christian Thought course at UNC Greensboro, a course he has taught some forty times, justly famous. The result is this book: an insightful, winsome, and engaging introduction to the history of Christian thought by a teacher at the height of his craft. For Rogers, the history of Christian thought is the story of a language--it's "Christianese," if you will--that participants use to frame their agreements and their disagreements alike. From Anselm to Wyschogrod, Rogers introduces us to the most interesting speakers of Christianese and their importance, enabling us to both listen in on and take part in the living conversation about God's activity in and for our world.Call Number: Yale Internet ResourceISBN: 9781506473833Publication Date: 2021 -
On the Holy Spirit by Saint Basil the Great was an influential early theologian in the Catholic Church. Born in approximately 330 AD, Saint Basil was an important supporter of the Nicene Creed and of the first religious leaders to advance the doctrine of the Trinity. He wrote many significant treatises on his interpretation of the Bible that are still studied to this day and "On the Holy Spirit" remains his most influential contribution to understanding the role of the Trinity in scripture. Written as a response to those that argued that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were theologically distinct with different natures, Saint Basil instead contended that there is one God from which all things are born. This persuasive and philosophical work had an immediate effect on the theological doctrine of Saint Basil's fourth century contemporaries and remains a primary source of scholarship on the meaning and significance of references in the Bible to the Holy Spirit.Call Number: On Reserve–BR65.B34 O5813X 2011ISBN: 9780881418767Publication Date: 2011 -
The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, Augmented Third Edition, New Revised Standard Version by The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha is an essential resource for scholarship and guidance to the world of the Bible. It is widely recognized for its wealth of maps, charts, and diagrams further clarify information found in the scripture pages. The Augmented Third Edition features single-column annotations at the foot of the pages, in-text background essays, charts, and maps, a page number-keyed index of all the study materials in the volume, and Oxford's renowned Bible maps.Call Number: BS195 N39 2007ISBN: 9780195288841Publication Date: 2007
Course Readings – Recommended
-
The Cross and the Lynching Tree by The cross and the lynching tree are the two most emotionally charged symbols in the history of the African American community. In this powerful new work, theologian James H. Cone explores these symbols and their interconnection in the history and souls of black folk. Both the cross and the lynching tree represent the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning. While the lynching tree symbolized white power and black death, the cross symbolizes divine power and black life God overcoming the power of sin and death. For African Americans, the image of Jesus, hung on a tree to die, powerfully grounded their faith that God was with them, even in the suffering of the lynching era.Call Number: Yale Internet ResourceISBN: 9781626980051Publication Date: 2013 -
Heresies and How to Avoid them: Why It Matters What Christians Believe by What don't Christians believe? Is Jesus really divine? Is Jesus really human? Can God suffer? Can people be saved by their own efforts?
The early church puzzled over these questions, ruling in some beliefs and ruling out others. Heresies and How to Avoid Them explains the principal ancient heresies and shows why contemporary Christians still need to know about them. These famous detours in Christian believing seemed plausible and attractive to many people in the past, and most can still be found in modern-day guises. By learning what it is that Christians don't believe–and why–believers today can gain a deeper, truer understanding of their faith.Call Number: On Reserve–BT1315.3 .H47 2007ISBN: 9780281058433Publication Date: 2007 -
On the Incarnation with Against the Heathen by A Double Volume Edition of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria's "Against the Heathen" along with his famed work "On the Incarnation". This compilation was curated and typeset by Paterikon Publications utilizing the original text and notes from the Second Series of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers.Call Number: Contact the Divinity Library staff.ISBN: 9781984113665Publication Date: 2018 -
On the Mystery by With immediate impact and deep creativity, Catherine Keller offers this brief and unconventional introduction to theological thinking, especially as recast by process thought. Keller takes up theology itself as a quest for religious authenticity. Through a marvelous combination of brilliant writing, story, reflection, and unabashed questioning of old shibboleths, Keller redeems theology from its dry and predictable categories to reveal what has always been at the heart of the theological enterprise: a personal search for intellectually honest and credible ways of making sense of the loving mystery that encompasses even our confounding times.Call Number: Yale Internet ResourceISBN: 9780800662769Publication Date: 2008 -
Sisters in the Wilderness by This landmark work first published 20 years ago helped establish the field of African-American womanist theology and is widely regarded as a classic text. Drawing on the biblical figure of Hagar mother of Ishmael, cast into the desert by Abraham and Sarah, but protected by God, Williams finds a prototype for the struggle of African-American women. African slave, homeless exile, surrogate mother, Hagar's story provides an image of survival and defiance appropriate to black women today. Exploring the themes implicit in Hagar's story poverty and slavery, ethnicity and sexual exploitation, exile and encounter with God Williams traces parallels in the history of African-American women from slavery to the present day. A new womanist theology emerges from this shared experience, from the interplay of oppressions on account of race, sex, and class. Sisters in the Wilderness offers a telling critique of theologies that promote liberation but ignore women of color. This is a book that defined a new theological project and charted a path that others continue to explore.Call Number: Yale Internet ResourceISBN: 1570750262Publication Date: 1995
Further Suggestions
-
How to Think Theologically by For over fifteen years, How to Think Theologically has served as the ideal primer on the work of theology for students at all levels of study. Stone and Duke contend that theology is not an optional, esoteric discipline, but one that every Christian person is called to do, and thus they welcome everyone to the essential, vibrant work of making religious sense of concrete life situations. This popular book includes case studies, bibliographies, and pedagogical elements.Call Number: Yale Internet ResourceISBN: 9780800699321Publication Date: 2013
Yale Divinity Library
Suzanne Estelle-Holmer
Contact:
Yale Divinity School Library
409 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
L-203
409 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
L-203
203-432-6374
Subjects: Divinity, Religious Studies